Grotty Legs + Bandages

Nocturnal

Nocturnal

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B recently picked up an infection in his legs, which I think was originally caused by a reaction to his turnout chaps (or something got underneath them to irritate his legs). 10 days+ later, and the infection, after seeming to vanish, has returned with a vengeance. And EVERYTHING seems to irritate his legs now.

Boots irritate them, so he can't be turned out in boots despite the fact he overreaches :(. But the field seems to irritate them too, so in fact he can't go out at all :(:(. Straw in the stable irritates them, so he has to wear bandages all the time. And the school surface irritates them, too, and as I've never used exercise bandages (so don't have any) and he can't wear boots, he can't go in the school atm :(:(:(.

So I'm shopping for some exercise bandages - can anyone recommend a good make? I was recently impressed by Kerilli's post on NEW boots; does anyone know if their airflow bandages are made for sensitive skin as well?

Any help would be much appreciated... I'm starting to feel :(:(:(
 
My horse has oversensitive legs, seriously compromised skin caused by the legs being degloved by overbandaging after damaging a tendon racing. He basically lost all the skin off the front of his legs. I cannot turn him out in ordinary boots as his skin will simply break up along the old scars, i can use equichaps, but have to coat his legs in sudocream before I do so. However I really have to bit the bullet and turn him out with nothing on otherwise the skin just does not heel. They need to have the fresh air to them, long wet grass is no good, so he is always out in a paddock with short grass. since leaving his legs with nothing on I have found his skin has toughened up. As to his over reach - the only ones i can use are the cheap soft rubber with verlcro - but I have toremove the top inch so the basically sit at the top of his hoof - not round his fetlock as that will also rub. The Westrop small over reach are fantastic, sort of foam flowers that just sit around the hoof
 
I'm a great believer in leaving them open to the air, and did when the infection first came up, but leaving them bare in the field is what caused the infection to flare up again, and it only got worse when I left them bare in the stable. I'd prefer to turn him out, but am not brave enough to turn out in bandages, even taped down.

The vet initially treated with a steroid jab, anti-biotics and bute (with a topical steriod cream) - this seemed to do the trick. After it came back, though, she felt that it would be best to treat topically, as he's probably allergic to something, or at least being irritated.

Once the infection's gone for good I'll be happy to leave his legs bare again, but until then, bandaging seems to help.

Any advice on the exercise bandages?
 
I think the same as the other posters - air is just the best thing. I just wouldn't turn out in boots as (esp in this warmer weather) it is so bad for the skin health. If it is an allergy he has then it might be rather a job finding what precicely sets him off - might be easier to concentrate in his immune system and skin health and hope that if these are in their best condition then he might not be so easily set off by allergens? I don't suppose you wash your bandages in bio washing powder? This sets my mare off terribly - we now use ecover non bio with an extra rinse at the end of the washing cycle (posher than we have for our skin!) and this doesn't seem to affect her. You might find in the field that he is allergic to some of the pollen, or being nibbled at by flys. Also, esp if there are areas of longer grass in his field, then the grass and straw might be scratching his skin a little causing them to be irritated, rather than an allergic reaction as such. Can you get you field topped, and then bed him on shavings for a while to avoid any possible damage to his delicate skin? If my mare gets an irritation on her skin (some yacky fly bits at the mo have flared up), then I rinse in saline and then apply sudocreme every couple of days (I don't wash more than this as I worry it strips the skin natural defences) - this really helps clear it up.
For something to exercise in, I like these from prem equine http://premierequine.co.uk/acatalog/Sports_Boots_and_Protection.html The quality is fab and I find their sizing is really accurate.
 
Ballyboo said:
B recently picked up an infection in his legs, which I think was originally caused by a reaction to his turnout chaps (or something got underneath them to irritate his legs). 10 days+ later, and the infection, after seeming to vanish, has returned with a vengeance. And EVERYTHING seems to irritate his legs now.

Boots irritate them, so he can't be turned out in boots despite the fact he overreaches :(. But the field seems to irritate them too, so in fact he can't go out at all :(:(. Straw in the stable irritates them, so he has to wear bandages all the time. And the school surface irritates them, too, and as I've never used exercise bandages (so don't have any) and he can't wear boots, he can't go in the school atm :(:(:(.

So I'm shopping for some exercise bandages - can anyone recommend a good make? I was recently impressed by Kerilli's post on NEW boots; does anyone know if their airflow bandages are made for sensitive skin as well?

Any help would be much appreciated... I'm starting to feel :(:(:(
Click to expand...

This has happened to me recently. My horse brushes and tends to strike himself quite frequently during t/o so I've always had boots on him to prevent injuries. I have several pairs and I always rotate and wash them as soon as they reqire it. Sometimes they get 1 days wear and sometimes I can get 3 days wear before they need washing...

I went away the other week for a few days and left him on livery. He went out, I assume with dirty boots on, and these got wet during a downpour. He obviously became itchy underneath them, and he rubbed them so much with his teeth I presume, that he rubbed his front legs raw! This was very annoying to come back to, as nothing like that had ever happened with me in charge.

Anyway, I'm cleaning his poorly legs daily, and pop sudo cream on to keep the flies off, and they are healing nicely. He's being turned out in a small paddock on his own with no boots on until they've healed 100%. I've bought some excellent exercise bandages by equilibrium, which have a special cooling liner inside. They were £20 for a pair, so I would recommend you buy something like that so that you can ride him. I'm washing them after each use. These bandages soak up water, so wouldn't be suitable for turnout in rain.

If your stable has rubber, perhaps you could just have a very minimal bed of shavings or woodpellets to soak up his urine just until his legs heal, as the deep bed and the straw irritation, may prolong the healing if he keeps rubbing his legs.

Also, have a chat to your vet, as he may be able to prescribe an antihistamine which may reduce some of the irritation if it's caused by allergies.
 
Thanks, Misinterpreted :) I'll grab myself a set of those!
Grotty legs are so frustrating, aren't they?? I was so careful about his legs, too. When the weather started warming up, I even drove back to the yard in the middle of the day to go out into the field and make sure his legs weren't sweating under his chaps. They weren't, so I was very perplexed when all of a sudden *woosh*! They inflated like a point2! And after many days of being in the same conditions?? Nothing changed to cause this :(

Golsgirl - nope, don't use bandages normally, so it can't be the washing powder. Can't top the field, either, as its a livery yard, so not really my prerogative. He's been on pink powder for a while now, to boost his immune system, but he's still very delicate :o

Can't leave them bare atm, though :( his legs just start swelling again, and new sores break out. At least when he's bandaged the swelling stays away, and no new sores appear. The old ones take longer to heal, though :(
 
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